Froggy Knits

April 16, 2004

Kate!

One Skein Progress Report

I absolutely love this pattern. This is my first time working with a Phildar pattern and the raglan increases and decrease are really fun to do. I cast on two extra stitches at the beginning and end and slipped the first stitch of every row and knit the last stitch of every row. I usually end up with the worst selvage, so I hope this will ease some of my finishing woes. And I also knitted into the back of the knit stitch proceding my psso. I slipped knitwise. This is a visual improvement to my previous sl1 k1 psso, but I may try another variation next time. I usually slip knitwise, knit1 (front of stitch) and then psso. I usually end up with a very stretched sloppy passed over stitch.

Does anyone have any other suggestions/variations?

kate-closeup.gif

I am using Lion Brand Cotton Ease instead of the suggested Phildar Aviso. I am getting the same gauge and I think it is pretty close as the Aviso is 60% cotton/40%acrylic and the Cotton Ease is 50%cotton/50%acrylic.

Has anyone worked with both and could share the similarities and differences?

Aviso isn't readily available in my area and I am rather enjoying the cotton-ease. Look how far one skein traveled. I am a couple of inches shy of completing the back. That’s some yardage for ya. I may be able to complete this using under 4 skeins. Wow.

Wkate-oneskein.gif

Posted by froggy at April 16, 2004 05:47 AM
Comments

I have only ever used Rowan All Seasons Cotton as a substitute for Aviso but I know lots of people that use cotton ease as a sub for ASC and it works well. I think this is a good choice and it looks fabby so far. I love the way the increases / decreases look 2 stitches in from the edge, makes for a nice neat finish!

Posted by: kerrie at April 16, 2004 06:43 AM

Becky has said that Aviso is practically ASC's sister (or cousin?). I've knitted with both Cotton-Ease and ASC and notice that the main difference between the two is that ASC is a little more spongier. Cotton-Ease still makes a good substitute and I would definitely use it in place of the Aviso.

Posted by: sharlyn@sitandknit.com at April 16, 2004 10:26 AM

I really like the colour you chose for Kate! Are you making the raglan sweater or the halter?

Posted by: Clara at April 17, 2004 01:23 AM

Hey! That's like an endless skein of yarn there! What color are you using?

Posted by: Laura at April 18, 2004 10:55 AM

Can I just say that I have SO much respect for the amount of time you put into documenting all the technical aspects of your work (especially the project summaries), which this lazy-ass blogger always means to do but never does...heck, I can barely manage to keep notes for myself. Kate is looking fine, indeed.

Never used Aviso, but I'm working with Cotton-Ease for a Hollywood Knits tank, and I'm liking it quite a bit.

Posted by: Mindy at April 18, 2004 11:00 PM

I've used Cotton Ease and Aviso and Rowan's ASC is probably closer in gauge to Aviso, but Cotton Ease and ASC are both more tightly spun and, therefore, lighter. I also found the Cotton Ease to be a bit more chemically treated than the Aviso, and it doesn't slide as easily on the needles as Aviso does. But those are just trivial details. Both create great fabric and I think you've gotten an excellent substitute!

Your decs look great. I tend to pair ssk with k2 together instead of s1, k1, psso because my sts get distorted with the latter. Others prefer it the other way around, though. I think it's a matter of taste, really.

Posted by: Becky at April 19, 2004 09:12 AM

Those are great decreases! I'll have to try your technique when I (finally!) start the pattern. :)

Posted by: Sarah C. at April 19, 2004 09:07 PM